More riders in the Olympic storm

The five elite athletes named by a banned cyclist in the Australian Institute of Sport drugs "shooting gallery" claim will be investigated by a fresh independent inquiry headed by a former Supreme Court judge.

Unless they are cleared by Robert Anderson, in an inquiry to be heard as soon as possible, they will be barred from competing at the Athens Olympic Games in August.

The fallout from the damaging testimony of the banned cyclist, Mark French, at his drugs hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport continues, with the rider now banned for life from Australian Olympic teams. This is in addition to his two-year ban from the sport worldwide.

"I can't believe this news," French's father, David French, said yesterday. "Mark is obviously a political football. There has been no other Australian athlete punished so severely without having tested positive to a banned substance."

The Australian Olympic Committee found French had committed trafficking offences in buying a nutritional supplement which contained a banned glucocorticosteroid for a third athlete and bringing the drug into Australia from Germany, based on the court's judgement.

"In light of the fact that two of the charges against him that were found proven involved trafficking, Mark is ineligible for life to represent Australia at the Olympic Games," an AOC lawyer, Simon Rofe, said. "The simple message is the AOC is treating its athletes the same as it asks the rest of the world to treat theirs."

Mr Rofe said French could have the ban reduced to eight years if he co-operated with authorities and provided information about the activities of others.

The federal Minister for Sport, Rod Kemp, told Parliament yesterday that the discovery of the equine growth hormone in French's room at the AIS Delo Monte residences had sparked other criminal investigations. The Australian Sports Commission in consultation with the Australian Federal Police has referred the matter to South Australian police and the Australian Customs Service.

It is understood that French told the sport court he had not used the room for three weeks before the drugs were found.

The Anderson inquiry will examine whether there was any failure of management, systems or supervision at Del Monte and whether the processes in dealing with the French case were appropriate.

French's statement to the sport court, which named the five cyclists he claims also used his room to inject unknown substances, will be available to the inquiry.

Among the many criticisms of the French case are the fact that he was not given any initial legal advice and there was no DNA testing of the vials and syringes found by cleaners in the room. French may appeal against the court ruling.

Senator Kemp said the allegations relating to other athletes were "of enormous concern and are being treated seriously, not least because they may have implications for the composition of Australia's Olympic team".

He said the Government was committed to its zero tolerance of drugs in sport. "A thorough investigation of these allegations will be undertaken to ensure that all of our athletes have a level playing field in all aspects of drug-free sport."